For a brief moment, Lionel Messi looked mortal. The Argentina captain missed an eighth-minute penalty against Austria, passing up the chance to move clear of Miroslav Klose as the FIFA World Cup's all-time leading goalscorer and instead setting an unwanted record for the most penalties missed in World Cup matches since detailed tournament records began being tracked in 1966. Yet, as he has done throughout his extraordinary career, Messi quickly reminded the world why he is regarded as one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen. Less than half an hour later, Messi found the breakthrough for Argentina, scoring his 17th World Cup goal to claim sole ownership of one of football's most prestigious records. And, if there was any lingering doubts, Messi erased them deep into stoppage time, adding a second goal to secure a 2-0 victory and further extend his record at the top of the World Cup scoring charts.The historic breakthrough arrived in the 38th minute of Argentina's Group J clash against Austria at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Fittingly, Messi was involved from start to finish. The 38-year-old dropped deeper to evade Austria's compact midfield block and helped initiate the attack by picking up possession and spreading the play out wide. The move gathered pace down the left flank, where Facundo Medina surged into the final third and delivered a low cross into the penalty area. Messi timed his run perfectly, arriving unmarked inside the box to meet Medina's delivery with a first-time left-footed finish into the bottom corner beyond goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.ALSO READ | Lionel Messi Breaks FIFA World Cup Record For Most Missed PenaltiesThe strike handed Argentina a 1-0 lead and secured Messi's place alone at the summit of World Cup goalscoring history. Having entered the match level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose on 16 goals, Messi's finish took him to 17 World Cup goals, the most by any player in the history of the men's tournament. Messi was not done there. As Austria committed numbers forward in search of a late equaliser, Argentina struck on the counterattack deep into stoppage time with their captain once again at the heart of the move. Messi slipped Julian Alvarez through on goal, but the striker was unable to convert the initial opportunity. The ball, however, broke kindly for Messi inside the penalty area. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner showed immense relentlessness, cutting onto his left foot and seeing his first effort blocked before reacting quickest to the loose ball. He then squeezed his second attempt through the legs of Nicolas Seiwald and beyond Kevin Danso on the goal line.The strike sealed a 2-0 victory for Argentina and moved Messi to 18 World Cup goals, further extending his record as the tournament's all-time leading goalscorer.capitalised on the space available in the final third and calmly beat Alexander Schlager to seal a 2-0 victory. The goal moved his World Cup tally to 18, further extending the record he had broken earlier in the evening.The brace added another remarkable chapter to Messi's World Cup legacy. By scoring against Austria, he became only the third player in history to score in six consecutive World Cup matches, joining France's Just Fontaine and Brazil's Jairzinho. His scoring streak stretches back to the Round of 16 at the 2022 tournament and now extends into Argentina's second match of the 2026 campaign.Messi's two goals also took him to five in just two matches at the 2026 World Cup following the hat-trick he scored against Algeria in Argentina's opening fixture. The explosive start has strengthened his position in the race for the Golden Boot while helping the defending champions secure their place in the Round of 32.The Austria victory also saw Messi extend several other records. The match was his 28th appearance at a FIFA World Cup, the most by any player in tournament history. It was also his 18th World Cup victory, another all-time record, while his appearance took his cumulative playing time in the competition to 2,489 minutes, the highest total ever recorded.For a player who had just set an unwanted record for the most penalties missed in World Cup matches, the response could hardly have been more fitting. By the final whistle, Messi had transformed a moment of frustration into another historic night, leaving Dallas with a brace, four World Cup records and Argentina safely through to the knockout stages.ALSO READ | From Underdogs To Giant-Killers? Cabo Verde's World Cup Journey Explained